San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-11-19
CHAPTER XVIII,

OUT tlefe.
CHAPTER XVIII.
was dining up stairs with my
mother that evening when our aged
factotum came in to say that Mr.. Leigh
was at the door in his dog cart, and wished
to speak to me-
ran down stairs, feeling sure that
some misfortune had happened, and my
fears were confirmed when / stepped out
into the windy night and Jim, stopping
down over the cleaning lamps of the dog
cart, said: II want you to come up to
the station with me, Harry; there's been
an accident to the express"
He had heard no particulars, only that
collision had occurred down the line and
that a great many lives were believed to
have been lost. 81 couldn't go to sleep,
not knowing whether Bracknell was alive
or dead" he said Besides, he may be
badly hurt, and there's nobody with
him"
agreed that anything was better than
suspense, and having sent a message
to my mother to the effect that was
going home with Mr.. Leigh and might
not be back before morning, got into the
dog cart; though / had some doubts as to
whether we should be able to proceed to
the scene of the catastrophe.
However, when we reached the railway
it seemed that there would be no difficulty
on that score Lord Staines was great
man in our part of the world, and Jim
himself enjoys a certain consideration; so
that the station master, on hearing our
errand, at once placed an engine at our
disposition. II had been a very bad acct
dent, he told us; but he had heard that
there was but four killed outright, and
didn't see no reason to fear as his lordship
was one of them.
1 hardly know why both Jim and l
should have formed an opposite opinion.
We did not communicate it to each other
indeed we scarcely spoke a word during
The half hour or so that we spent rushing
through the darkness in the tech of the
southeasterly gale which had risen since
nightfall-but afterward we compared
notes and found that neither of US had
had any hope from the first. Perhaps, as
far as one Of us was concerned, hope
would not have been quite the right word
to use. A little sooner or a little later
death must come to us all; and the fu-
ture, as poor Bracknen himself had said
a few hours before, had had but few
bright possibilities to offer him. Yet
when among those four silent, stiffened
bodies we recognized the one of which we
were in search, own that my philosophy
broke down, and that was Just as sorry
as if there had been no mitigating cirCum-
stances connected with this swift blOtting
out of life which was still young and
vigorous.
Jim took the loss of his friend terribly
to heart. He had always loved the man,
always admired him and wanted to be-
lieve in him, even when faith must have
been a little difficult, and it was long be-
fore he recovered from the shock Of that
fatal night. To the present day he cannot
bear any allusiOn TO it; nor, must con-
fess, is it subject upon which ! myself
care to dwell. Our first duty, of course,
was to break the news at Staines Court:
and how we accomplished this 1 can
scarcely remember. The one thing that
stands out clearly in my recollection is
Hilda's look Of horror when she was told
in what manner her husband had met his
death.
~ can't see himr' she cried. care
they bringing him hereS I won't look at
anything shockingW
1t seemed to me amazing that at such
moment the woman's first thought sh I'D
have been to spare herself; but perhaps,
after all, it would have been more amaz-
ing if her first thought had been anything
else.
Lord Staines was in bed when we
reached the house It was thought best
that l should at once tell him what could
not long be concealed, and he listened to
me with very little apparent emotion. He
asked me whether / thought Bracknell's
death had been a painful one; and when
replied-as, happily, was able to do
that it must have been instantaneous, he
muttered, "WeLl, wellr' and lay back on
his pillows, looking straight before him
with sunken, weary eyes.
80 there is an end and finish of us"
he said presently; maybe it's best SO.
1t seems odd that Bracknell and Summing
should both go before me; but l don't
suppose / shall have much longer to wait
now. When my poor boy and parted
this afternoon, we knew that it was for
the last time, and I'm glad he came to see
Ie-G'm verv sia6 Ds came TO see pa
7S b CeDGIaSedl